A World Worth Fighting For
by ElmarBear
Summary: Circumstances change and finally Cinderheart and Lionblaze become mates. They create a family built on loyalty and give Lionblaze a World Worth fighting for.


CHAP 1 Lionblaze POV

Lionblaze crouched nervously beside his sister, watching her gaze flick from side to side as the clan stuggled to accept her news.

"Hollyleaf is to be left in peace!" Firestar called from the ledge, his pelt burning in the sun and his eyes glinting dangerously.

Lionblaze sat up and stretched in releif as the clan seperated in to whispering groups and searched around for Dovewing, his heart sinking as he saw her approaching nervously,

"Hiya" She started hesitantly, glancing anxiously at Lionblaze who nodded encoragingly,

"This is Dovewing," Lionblaze stated to his sister, smoothing the ruffled fur on his chest with his tounge,

"You may remember her as a kit, I mentored her and Cinderheart mentored her sister Ivypool, they're good warriors now", His heart sank as he remebered the bewildered look on Cinderheart face as he told her of the prophecy, he shook the thought away, what was done was done, however much he regretted her affection and kindness now. Hollyleaf purred,

"I would expect any warrior mentored by my brother to be a good warrior now" and butted his shoulder gently.

Lionblaze exchanged a glance with Jayfeather over his sisters head, shouting his thoughts as loud he could,

"Will she be this friendly after she finds out Dovewing is part of the prophecy?"

Dovewing nodded and backed off, hurridly running over to and pressing her pelt against Ivypools and whispering urgently in to her sisters ear as they stood over the fresh kill pile, Hollyleaf watched, a feeling of mild amusment in her eyes,

"We were that close once", she murmed loudly, Jayfeather replied quickly, "We never forgot you, sometimes it felt we were the only ones, but we never stopped thinking about you"

Lionblaze took a step back, suprised by his brothers sudden rush of affection, but it was true, he had always missed his sisters warmth, maybe as much as he would miss Cinderhearts...

"Did you not forget the prophecy then too, or are you still breaking the code as before" Hollyleafs accusation brought him stumbling back to reality. Lionblaze glanced at Jayfeather, she could have at least waited until tomorrow,

"look" he hissed quietly, "Firestar knows now, he knows we are the three.."

"We!" Hollyleaf's eyes widened and Lionblaze winced, bad choice of words MouseBrain!

"You found the third cat then, after I was gone, because I presume living off cave rats is NOT a power!"

"Dovewing is the third cat Hollyleaf, she always was" Jayfeather meowed gently, Hollyleaf looked at both of them with her eyes narrowed,

"I see you replaced me whilst I was trapped" she hissed, before standing up and storming off, veering away from Squirrelflight to stalk in to the warriors den.

"How can she accuse us" Jayfeather meowed, shaking his head and fixing his sightless blue gaze on Lionblaze, "She ruined our future for us and did not even have to bear the imediate consequences",

"She will come round" he purred licking his brothers ear, "for now lets just be glad we have her back.."

"Lionblaze?" The familiar meow made him turn and his brother moved away.

"Cinderheart!" he purred looking at the beautiful gray she-cat standing before him, she stepped forward and began to speak,

"Lionblaze, I think I made a mistake, I saw you forgive Hollyleaf today because you respected her and loved her, even though you did not agree with the decision or path she had taken and been put apon... It reminded me how much I loved you Lionblaze, how much I do love you.." He gently put his tail tip over her mouth

"I love you too Cinderheart, nothing you could do would change that, my heart was always yours and forever will be" Gently he pressed against her side and twined her tail with his, the dark gray and ginger melting together seamlessly as her loud purr filled him until he thought he would burst.

"Lionblaze" She whispered again "I am going to have your kits"

"Thats wonderful!" Another deep purr burst from his chest and he touched his nose to hers, "They will be beautiful, just like you"

"And strong like their brave father" Cinderpelt purred licking him between the ears. They stood for a moment content with each other until Lionblaze murmured

"Looks like I am wanted for a patrol" He quickly touched his nose to hers and bounded across the clearing, his paws feeling lighter than ever as he looked back to see her watching his every step.

Brambleclaw, Leafpool and Bumblestripe were waiting and the young tom was scraping the hard ground impatiently

"Is this all of us?" He meowed, turning to face Brambleclaw and Leafpool,

"No, just Firestar to come now" Leafpool replied lightly, "And then we can be on our way"

CHAP 2 Cinderheart POV

Cinderheart watched Lionblaze pad away, her heart swelling, she loved him so much and had almost thrown their relationship away, forever, but now he had forgiven her for her hasty words, and loved her all the more, She sighed happily and made her way towards the warriors den, she settled in to her nest an looked across at the bundle of black fluffy fur at the edge of the den. Hollyleaf slept soundly, her pelt rising and falling with every breath she took. Maybe Hollyleaf will find somecat soon, who loved her as much as Cinderheart loved Lionblaze.

When she awoke the den was full of cats, many sharing tonges as rain pattered heavily on to the top of the den. Lionblaze ducked under the entrance with a freshly caught blackbird in his mouth and padded over, gently settling in to his nest beside her and dropping the bird between them,

"Want to share?" He purred, lapping the raindrops from his pelt as Cinderheart nodded happily and took a bite. Lionblaze leaned in to share and together they finished the bird quickly. Gently he began to groom her ears and she began to dry his pelt again, purring all the while.

"Hiya!" Hollyleaf's suprisingly cheery meow interupted Cinderheart from her grooming as she turned to greet her once best friend. Lionblaze moved with her and continued to groom her ears, only pausing to grunt a reply to one of Hollyleaf's many questions about clan life whilst she had been trapped. Finally he finished and turned to face his sister. Cinderheart lay on her side with her paws sprawled across her nest and Lionblaze mimicked her position, curling up his front paws so his warm belly pressed against her back and his larger strong frame surrounded hers. Cinderheart could sense other cats watching the two of them as they silently twined their tales and lay together across the two nests and sensed their curiosity because most cats knew they had fallen out without knowing the reason. She held her head high and turned to touch her nose to his, purring briely as he blinked warmly at her with his large amber eyes.

Hollyleaf licked a paw roughly as Lionblaze gave an answer to one of the questions, and then asked,

"Do you think I will get an apprentice soon?" The question obviously caught Lionblaze off guard and he glanced towards Cinderheart,

"You will just have to wait and see" she answered quickly, well aware it could be many,many moons before Hollyleaf was trusted again to lead patrols, let alone have an apprentice.

"Oh well" Hollyleaf yawned, "I want to do dawn patrol tomorrow so I must go get some sleep" She breifly touched noses with her brother before padding off to her nest.

"Thanks for that" Lionblaze told her gently "But your on dawn patrol as well tomorrow and you dont want to get worn out so we should propably get some sleep too"

Cinderheart nodded, yawned and curled up a little and Lionblaze copied her, gently sinking his nose in to her fur as they fell asleep in a mound of gently moving orange and gray fur.

CHAP 3 Lionblaze POV

Lionblaze bounded through the forest, Hollyleaf hard on his heels back towards camp. Jayfeather had said Cinderheart would kit any day now, and Hollyleaf had come to fetch him for it whilst he was leading a patrol.

"She's asking for you" Hollyleaf had gasped, completley out of breath, it had taken Lionblaze less than a second to decide to race back to camp, leaving Dustpelt in charge of the patrol.

As the thorn tunnel came in to sight he slowed down and slipped through, Brackenfur who was guarding the tunnel gave him a sympathetic blink, Lionblaze understood how Brackenfur felt now, about leaving Sorreltail near the time of her kitting. Jayfeather was standing outside the nursery.

"Can I go in now" he asked his brother, trying to get a glimpse down the thorny tunnel. Jayfeather purred,

"Yes, but she is very tired, be gentle" He gave his Lionblaze a mock stern glance with his sightless eyes and moved aside, Gently Lionblaze pushed his broad shoulders through the tunnel and emerged in to the milky warmth of the nursery. He moved quietly towards Cinerhearts nest at the back and his heart missed a beat as he heard the squeak of a newborn. Gently he touched his nose to her shoulder and moved to lie down near her head where he could see the kits. There were four of them, each as beautiful as the others and they blindly burrowed in to Cinderhearts fur.

They are amazing!" He gasped quietly, showering Cinderhearts ears in affectionate licks.

She purred gently,

"Four toms" Lionblaze looked at them again,

"Have you thought of any names?" he purred gently, inhaling each kits scent seperately and implanting it in his mind. She shook her head,

"I haven't have time."

There was a dark gray tom, not much different than Cinderheart in colour who was already visibly bigger than his siblings, Lionblaze touched this kits tail very gently with his own

"Wolfkit" He murmured softly, remembering the wolves he had spotted in the mountains. Cinderheart nodded and purred

"Wolves are strong, brave creatures, lets hope he carries those qualities"

Next was a smaller kit, a silver tabby tom who was still large for his age,

"Falconkit" Cinderheart said decisivley and Lionblaze purred in agreement.

The next tom kit was between the previous two in size and had fluffy black fur, he flicked his tail from side to side as he suckled and kept trying to lift his head.

"Pantherkit" Lionblaze suggested and Cinderheart nodded "He looks like a panther with all that black fur" she murmured sleepily. The final kit was as big as Wolfkit and had long dark ginger fur like Firestars that was mottled with deeper red streaks and paler ginger streaks the colour of Lionblazes pelt.

"Redkit" Cinderheart meowed and again Lionblaze agreed,

"Welcome to Thunderclan my beautiful boys" he purred touching each gently with his nose, before turning to Cinderheart,

"Mouse or Bird?" He asked gently, licking her between the ears

"Vole" She replied cheekily, licking his muzzle, "I love you Lionblaze"

"And I love you more, now get some rest, I will be back soon"

He gently shouldered his way out in to the sunlight, Jayfeather was gone but as he crossed to the fresh kill pile Sorreltail called out

"How many kits?"

"Four toms" He replied proudly,

"They will keep you busy, im sure" she purred in reply hurrying to tell Brackenfur the news

Lionblaze nodded happily picking a mouse off the top to keep him going whilst he hunted,

"Big and strong I'm sure", the meow beside him made him turn and he saw Firestar gazing at him

"Have you decided on names yet?" His leader continued, signalling with his tail for Lionblaze to settle down beside him.

"Wolfkit, Falconkit, Pantherkit and Redkit" Lionblaze purred in return,

"Well, I don't envy you, two kits were hard enough" He murmured closing his eyes for a second, "Im sure you want to get back to Cinderheart, I shant keep you, Good Luck," He nodded and padded away. Lionblaze gulped down the mouse and leapt to his feet. There were often voles near the lake so he would go there first. As he padded towards the barrier a meow broke his thoughts,

"Wait! Can we come?" It was Dovewing, Ivypool, Leafpool and Bumblestripe. Normally he would have refused an offer from Leafpool but he just nodded

"Sure,im off to catch a vole for Cinderheart" He purred pressing warmly against his former apprentice,

"Congratulations" Dovewing purred, "I heard from Sorreltail, four toms!, What have you called them?"

"Wolfkit,Falconkit,Pantherkit and Redkit" Lionblaze purred,

"What colours are their pelts?" Ivypool asked bounding up on his other side,

"Well, Wolfkit is dark grey, Falconkit is light silver tabby, Pantherkit has long black fur and Redkit has long dark ginger fur which is mottled with dark red streaks and lighter ginger streaks"

"They sound beautiful!" Bumblestripe broke in, pausing to wait for them as they passed an old birch tree. An endless stream of questions continued untill they reached Sky Oak where Leafpool, who hadn't spoken up to this point hissed "Shhh" The cats fell silent as she stalked around a bush, smelling something Lionblaze could not,

"Blackbird" Dovewing whispered, almost reading his thoughts.

A second later she sprang and reappeared with a large blackbird in her jaws,

"Well done" Lionblaze congratulated her warmly an for second she looked almost suprised,

"Thanks" She purred, "This is my first blackbird actually"

"Thats really good then" Bumblestripe meowed loudly,

"Well now we'd better split up then so we dont scare off all the prey stampeding around like badgers" Dovewing joked,

"Fine," Lionblaze added "Me and Leafpool, Dovewing and Ivypool,Bumblestripe you can hunt alone" Leafpool stared at him like he had just eaten a fox,

"C'mon lets go own towards the lake" He meowed as the others hurried off, Leafpool nodded, and Lionblaze understood her confusion, he was never normally polite to her, let alone welcoming or friendly. She came to walk beside him and they crossed on to the pebbly shore,

"I understand why you still love us now" He murmured gently, "Whatever those kits grow up to be I feel I will always love them and try to do the right thing for them, and now I understand why you did what you did all those moons ago," They stopped and he gently pushed his nose in to his mothers fur,

"Thank you Lionblaze, you have made me prouder than any cat" Leafpool purred "And I am glad that we are at peace at last, now lets go get that vole!"

CHAP 4 Lionblaze POV

Cinderheart was sleeping by the time Lionblaze returned so he settled down beside her to wait, a plump vole sitting nearby. He curled up on the other side of the kits and watched them closely, three slept but one did not. Redkit yawned and opened his eyes which were a green just like Firestars. Lionblaze purred encoragingly as the kit began to feed again before gently falling back in to a doze. He noticed that all the kits had longer, furrier pelts than most forest cats and supposed Firestar's kittypet blood probably had somehing to do with it. Cinderheart yawned and stretched, nudging a sleeping Wolfkit closer to the others with her tail. Lionblaze leaned over to touch his nose to hers and dragged over the vole.

"Here, you must be hungry" He purred, Cinderheart nodded and quickly devoured the plump creature,

"Redkit opened his eyes whilst you slept" Lionblaze meowed "They were green, like Firestar's"

"Well, Wolfkit's are amber like yours, what multicolour kits we have!" Cinderheart purred in hushed tones, swiping her tounge around her mouth.

"So we do, look, Falconkit's are blue" The young kit had opened his eyes, and was gazing at them wide eyed. Cinderheart gently licked the top of his head and he sank back down in to a snooze.

"Do you think they will be boistrous kits?" Lionblaze purred in amusment,

"Well, if they are anything like you they shall be!" Cinderheart shot back, but her eyes were filled with love and affection for him and their young family.

"Who has been to see you?" Lionblaze inquired,

"Well, first there was Jayfeather, Hollyleaf, all the she-cats but Squirrelflight and apprentices and a few toms, Brackenfur, Graystripe, Dustpelt, Cloudtail and Bumblestripe who made me promise to take them to see Briarlight as soon as they were getting about" Cinderheart purred, reeling the list off easily, but Lionblaze noticed neither Brambleclaw or Squirrelflight had come and he still had to tell her that he had forgiven her, he would go and tell her now, if he could find her. A deeper meow broke in to his thoughts, Brambleclaw!

"Beautiful kits if I may say so" He purred softly, and Lionblaze nodded in reply as the tabby drank up each scent, before Lionblaze quickly reeled off the names to the cat he once thought was his father.

"Well I have to go order the patrols now but good luck, Firestar mentioned that he would come see them for himself soon" The dark tabby slowly backed out of the den an Lionblaze stood to follow him. He gently touched his nose to Cinderhearts ear, took a long look at his family and pushed out of the den.

He blinked in the warm sunlight after the dark of the nursery and padded over to Brambleclaw

"I would like to patrol" he told the tabby, nodding to accept a congratulations from Sandstorm.

"Very well, you can lead sunset patrol in a few hours, you choose which cats to take..."

"Wait, can I lead that patrol" Firestar cut in as he bounded down the rocks, "I want to check Shadowclan border,Dustpelt reported a stange scent there this morning" Lionblaze sighed, he had wanted to lead, oh well, maybe next time.

"Who shall we take Lionblaze" His leader continued turning to him, "I want you with me"

"What about Ivypool, Brambleclaw and Graystripe, if their is any chance of a skirmish we want the strongest warriors with us" Lionblaze suggested

"Good choice, meet by the thorn barrier at sunset" Firestar swipe his tougne around his mouth and padded away towards his mate.

"You can lead tomorrow" Brambleclaw assured him, "Bad timing, thats all"

Lionblaze picked a sun warmed patch in the clearing and settled down to sleep. They had chosen a good time to have kits he realised as he close his eyes, they would be 8 and a half moons old by the time prey became short and big enough to deal with it well.

He awoke to a sharp prodding sensation in his side, he batted it away with one paw and mewled a protest,

"Get up you useless lump" Jayfeathers sharp mew cut across the soft sounds of the evening and Lionblaze remembered the kits.

"The kits! Are they alright?" He mewed, springing to his paws in an instant.

"Yes but Cinderheart wants you to watch them whilst she goes in to the forest to make dirt" His brother snorted rolling his eyes.

"Ok" Lionblaze replied brightly, before padding across the clearing. It was nearly sunset and most of the cats that had slept through the hottest part of the day were starting to wake, for duties and patrols. He spotted Poppyfrost prodding Cloudtail through the branches of the beech in the clearing and silently wished her luck before squeezing in to the nursery. He was used to the warm scents by now and could distinguish between each of his kits by smell. Cinderheart was sitting up and looked bright as they touched noses,

"Can you watch them for just a second, please?" She pleaded him, her blue eyes large,

"I will always watch them for you when you need me to" He promised licking her ear

"Thank you. I will be back soon my beauties" She whispered to the kits and then she was gone.

Lionblaze gently lowered himself down beside the kits and watched them, all four of them were asleep and he admired them yet again until Cinderheart returned,

"Pantherkit has blue eyes as well" She mewed proudly licking Lionblazes cheek and curling up in her nest again.

"You get some rest" He purred, licking the top of her head before he headed out to join the patrol.

Firestar was waiting but the other cats were yet to appear, Lionblaze shook himself roughly and padded over.

"How is Cinderheart?" Firestar asked him as he approached,

"Great!" Lionblaze responded "The kits are great too, I just cant stop thinking about how beautiful they are!" He shook his head gently and studied his leaders face,

"I said the same thing too, when your mother and Squirrelflight were born" His leader purred

Suddenly Brambleclaw and Greystripe arrived,

"Where is Ivypool?" The deputy complained, "We have better things to do then to wait for late warriors!" Just then Ivypool appeared looking flustered,

"Sorry! I was giving mouse bile to Mousefur then I had to wash my paws in the stream!"

"Well your here now" Firestar mewed, "But first, I have to warn all of you, strange scents were picked up where we are patrolling tonight, we are not looking for a fight, but be on your guard"

Then he pushed through the tunnel and out in to the forest.

CHAP 5 Cinderheart POV

Cinderheart yawned and opened her eyes, the kits were half a moon old and starting to get about, today, she and Lionblaze would be taking them outside.

Wolfkit was tickling his sleeping brothers with a feather, rolling back in to a ball everytime one woke up to look around. Cinderheart grabbed him by the scruff, ignoring his squeaks of protest and began to wash his tufty fur. Redkit yawned and stood up, shaking himself then prodded Pantherkit and Falconkit.

"Wake up!" He mewed happily, "Then we can go outside!"

All four kits were bouncing around ready to go when Lionblaze came in and rushed over to him,

"Lionblaze!" Pantherkit squeaked joyfully throwing himself on to his father,

"Attack!" Wolfkit leaped out on to his fathers side,

"Oof" Cinderheart purred as Lionblaze rolled over and pretended to lie winded as his kits swarmed over him.

"Hello little ones" he purred touching noses with Falconkit. Cinderheart stood up and shook herself,

"Ready?" She asked him as he shook off the kits,

"Yep, you go first, I will follow" Lionblaze meowed as Cinderheart stretched forward over Wolfkit to touch his nose. Cinderheart took a deep breath and pushed out in to the clearing. It was warm in the sun and the kits bounded out behind her,

"Wow!" Falconkit squeaked,

"It's huge!" Pantherkit breathed,

"Which part is Shadowclan?" asked Redkit,

"None of it, this is all Thunderclan" Lionblaze assured them grabbing Falconkit by his scruff when he slipped and carefullly placing him back on his feet.

"Then we will have to kill you, Shadowclan invader!" Wolfkit yowled leaping in to the air

"He's a great father isn't he" Hollyleaf commented as Lionblaze moved away with two of the kits on his back,

"Yeah, he deals with them really well" Cinderheart agreed happily, settling down to wash her fur. She stretched round to smooth down the fur on her back and Hollyleaf helped her.

Redkit and Wolfkit bounded over

"Look what Lionblaze showed us!" Wolfkit growled and dropped in to an almost perfect hunting crouch, if Hollyleaf was shocked she hid it well,

"Thats really good! Just remember to keep your tail low or else it might touch the bushes in the forest" She commented, Redkit copied his brother but slapped his tail to the ground,

"Not like that!" Wolfkit growled playfully pulling his brothers tail and overturning him,

"You bossy kit!" Redkit squeaked, jumping to his feet and hurling himself joyfully at his brother.

"Duck your head Wolfkit" Lionblaze commanded him, "Now flip on to your back beneath him and throw him off" Wolfkit executed his father commands well and Redkit flew a mouse length back and landed on his feet

"Help me Lionblaze!" He pleaded shaking the dust out of his fluffy kit-pelt,

"I am going to be the best fighter ever!" Wolfkit mewed to Falconkit and Pantherkit as they padded over,

"and im going to be the best hunter!" Redkit butted in pushing his brother away,

"C'mon, no more talk of that now," Cinderheart meowed with a stern glance at Lionblaze, she didnt want her kits obsessed by such things at a young age.

He purred,

"You will all be wonderful at whatever you choose to practice, now look, here's Briarlight, be kind and good, and I will be back when the sun starts to disapear behind the trees"

"Where are you going?" Falconkit inquired, sitting on his fathers tail,

"Hunting," Lionblaze responded, "to catch a rabbit with Cloudtail and Dovewing, Bye!" Cinderheart gathered her kits to her as her mate touched noses with her,

"Be safe" She purred,

"You know me" He replied then he licked her ear and was gone, her heart was filled with worry as he padded after Cloudtail, the scent of many rouge cats was found on the border with Shadowclan and hadn't been scented since, she trusted his power but it still frightened her.

"Can we go now?" Wolfkit's cheery mew made her look down,

"Yes, yes off you go, but dont leave the clearing" She purred uncurling her tail.

CHAP 6 Lionblaze POV

Lionblaze hunted well and was just meeting up with Cloudtail when Dovewing burst out in to the clearing,

"We've been attacked!" She shrieked, "By the dark forest again, they are at camp!" Lionblaze scopped up his catch and sprinted towards camp, his heart pounding as terrible pictures formed there, Cinderheart dead, the kits dead, NO he shook them away, he would save them!

He burst in to camp with Cloudtail on his heels and dropped his catch, the whole clan was fighting, Cinderpelt and Dustpelt were at the edge guarding the nursery but cats were pushing through, he leapt to join them, Birchfall was fighting to break in and his father held him down,

"Birchfall what is wrong with you, you are loyal to Thunderclan" Dustpelt protested,

"Not anymore, the Dark forest is strong, it will overcome you and we need those kits!" Birchfall yowled back scraping to get free, Lionblaze growled and gave him a swift, strong bite to the leg and he screamed in pain, Dustpelt leapt back,

"My...my kit" He murmured "What has the dark forest done?" Lionblaze pitied him deeply,

"This is not the time to worry about that, we need to defend the clan" he told the brown tabby tom gently, before a yowl stopped the battle,

"How dare you!" It was a huge dark tabby with orange eyes held down by Ivypool,

"I dare because I am from Thunderclan Tigerstar, Blossomfall and Birchfall may be prepared to fight against their clanmates but I am not, you lied and lied and lied, your enemies hate you, your kin hates you even your clan hates you, respect does not come with power, power comes with respect" Ivypool's voice shook and Dark forest warriors froze as they realised that their leader was overpowered, Lionblaze leapt forward to help as the huge tom struggled but Firestar got there first, he planted his paws on the tabbies chest and held him down,

"We are true warriors Tigerstar, and we are loyal" he murmurmed then he leant in and delivered a killing bite to the tabby tom's neck,

"I will get you one day Firestar, I promise you" The tabby screamed then he fell limp and dead,

"Behind me Dark Forest!" A cat Lionblaze recognise as Brokenstar yowled and all but two dark forest cats moved to the middle of the clearing - Hawkfrost and Tigerheart stayed, Hawkfrost was gazing at Ivypool,

"Ivypool, is this really where your heart lies? With your clan?" His voice shook as he stared around, and Lionblaze doubted any cat had ever seen him so uncertian.

"Of course" Ivypool meowed her voice also breaking, "Its where every cats heart should truly lie and mine always has"

"Then she will be crushed by us like the rest of those weaklings" Brokenstar growled, "Tigerheart, Hawkfrost get over here now!"

"No" Hawkfrost spoke again, "My heart may not lie with a clan but it lies with Ivypool," Audible gasps spread around the clearing as he stepped to join Thunderclan "I will not fight against her now"

Lionblaze stared shocked, he had not realised what a big impression Ivypool had made in the Dark Forest.

"Neither will I" Tigerheart growled "Cats have always judged me on my name, and my mothers father, but truly I now see what he was, I will fight with Thunderclan" and he also stepped back to join the crowd,

Lionblaze stepped forward,

"Think carefully, Brokenstar, we could still overpower you now" He hissed, narrowing his eyes

"Never! Dark Forest, to me!" Brokenstar yowled, leaping forwards back in to battle, the clearing exploded once more and Lionblaze panicked, unable to see Cinderheart. He rolled forward as a cat landed on his back and slit open the mangy tom's belly with his hind paws, the tom gasped and dissapeared. He spotted Cloudtail writhing under Breezepelt and shot forward, barreling in to the writhe tom,

"You're no match for me! You filthy peice of fox dung" His half brother hissed triumphantily, turning on him,

Lionblaze turned underneath him and pushed him away with a strong kick, then raced to where he landed and held him down,

"Beaten by a move my kits know!" Lionblaze hissed shredding his ears, he lent in and gave Breezepelt a strong bite on the shoulder sending him screaming out of the clearing.

He stared around and spotted Darkforest cats re-grouping in the middle of the clearing, many of their cats had been scared by the large number of deaths and the cross of Hawkfrost and Tigerheart, noticably some of the strongest warriors so had jumped back out of reality. He spotted Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw fighting side by side, muscly dark tabby pelts rippling indenticaly as they pushed back a huge brown warrior using their long hooked claws. Lionblaze spat and span, fighting and defeating cat after cat till few brave dark forest warriors remained, Brokenstar included,

"Hawkfrost, you have to come now, or else the gap between reality and dream we opened will close and you will be stuck alive once more with no escape, come on, now!" The new leader yowled, looking up desperatley at the slowly brightening sky,

"Never again!" The tabby spat, pressing back agaist Brambleclaw for support,

"Leave now Dark forest!" Firestar yowled "And remember what is waiting for you if you ever set foot in Thunderclan again!"

As light seeped across the sky from the gathering stars, the Dark Forest warriors flickered slightly before dissapearing entirely. Cheers errupted from the surrounding cats, Tigerheart including, though Lionblaze noticed, Hawkfrost stayed silent. Firestar leapt up to highledge and started to speak,

"I am very proud of most of you, for how you have fought today but there are a few among you here who do not deserve to be in this clan!, Blossomfall, Birchfall, step forward please, you have one chance to explain yourself and your actions to your clan!"

"I do not need to, explain, to my clan, they are weaklings, all of them, I joined dark forest beceause they beleive in a better future" Birchfall hissed,and Lionblaze heard shocked whispers from around him

"Then you are here-by banished from the clan, if you are caught in our territory after today, I will give my cats permission to chase and kill you," Firestar responded, his meow cold, "Go now, do not return. Blossomfall, what about you, do you agree with Birchfall?" Firestar turned to the trembling she-cat,

"No - I, I swear I didn't know what they were doing,I promise, I am loyal, truly," Her pityful meow died away and whispering took its place,

"Banish her!"

"Let her stay"

"Punish her now", The calls came in fast and Firestar signalled with his tail for silence, but his legs were shaking, and he started to cough, when he recovered he continued,

"Blossomall you shall stay as a prisoner for now, we will decide what the future holds for you later" He rasped, "Hawkfrost, step forward please, by fighting with us today you have proved to yourself and Thunderclan loyalty to one cat and with time, hopefully you will be loyal to Thunderclan, I will allow you to stay, and you may act as a warrior for the time being, Tigerheart, go home and do not bother us again, for now Thunderclan we have to get strong again, Brambleclaw orginise camp repairs, vigils for those who have left us and hunting, by this time tomorrow the clan is to be well fed and strong again, the meeting is over,"

The clan fell silent as Birchfall and Tigerheart pushed through the crowd,

"Traitor!" Spiderleg sneered as Birchfall passed, cats began to gather around Jayfeather and Brambleclaw to receive duties but Lionblaze sprinted to the nursery, he barged through the door and padded over to his kits, one, two, three, four, he sighed in relief as Cinderheart licked his ear and they dashed over to him,

"Lionblaze!" squeaked Wolfkit "Are you hurt?"

"No." Lionblaze replied, licking his little gray head, "Just tired, are you hurt Cinderheart?" He asked gently,

"Just scratches" she replied, touching his nose gently, "Jayfeather can see to them later"

"Are you sure?" Lionblaze fretted, the battle had been so fierce,

"Yes" She purred, "Now go get a duty, and keep these four out of trouble!" Lionblaze blinked gently at her and hauled himself to his feet.

He blinked in the sunlight outside the nursery and saw a dark tabby figure heading towards him, Hawkfrost!,

"Hiya," The tabby meowed awkwardly, the most nervous Lionblaze had ever seen him, "Brambleclaw asked me to repair the nursery with you..."

"Ok!" Lionblaze meowed optimisticly, vowing he would try his best not to judge the broad shouldered tom. He wrapped his tail around his kits and started to speak

"Kits, this is Hawkfrost, he has just joined the clan and is going to help us with the nursery ok? I need you four to go collect some brambles from behind Jayfeathers den and bring them back, off you go! Oh and no play fighting Wolfkit, this is proper work now!" He let them go and they tumbled across the clearing,

"They are yours arn't they?" Hawkfrost asked,

"Yep, Wolfkit the big gray one, Redkit is the one pulling a bramble now, Falconkit is the silver tabby and Pantherkit is the black fluffy one, all toms" He answered proudly

"Well, your lucky to have such beautiful kits Lionblaze" Hawkfrost commented "And they are lucky to have you."

_Mmm.. wrote this 4 months back, reviews appreciated, _

_Ellie x_


End file.
